Crow's Perch

Crow's Perch is a towered library-fortress that stands on a crag overlooking the Azure Sea. The library is filled with books and scrolls of knowledge, considered the greatest collection of the writings in all of Korinth.

Description
Crow's Perch rests atop a volcanic crag on a narrow peninsula that jutted out from the side of the coast. It is nestled onto the crag just few hundred paces from the cliffside overlooking the sea. The path leading to its entrance is called the Way of the Lion, which extends from the Coast Way that runs along the coast.

The outer wall of the keep rises high above the coast, dotted with several towers that ascended into the skies about the cliffside. The main entrance through this wall is by a set of grand double-gates, that are three times as tall as a man and forged from a strange black metal that was impervious to lightning and magical divination. Within this protective perimeter is the strong, central keep that housed the Great Library, encircled by the College of Magus and several smaller stone buildings.

Weather
The western facade of Crow's Perch is bombarded with mist and waters from the sea, and becomes iced over during the freezing winter months. Several of the towers on this side have to be abandoned for part of the year due to this hazardous accumulation of frost.

Entry
To gain entry to the halls of wisdom a visitor has to present the seal of a renowned wizard, as well as an "entrance-gift" to the library, a tome of immense value, great rarity or significant historical importance to add to their collection. While the shrewd gatekeepers typically accept books worth no less than 1,000 gp, books containing particularly insightful annotations or journals of important persons have been accepted before. Visitors into the keep are known as "seekers" and referred to as "goodsir" or "goodlady" by the library's monks, if their name was unknown.

The "friends of Crow" were allowed entrance in to Crow's Perch without offering an entrance-gift. Among these select individuals were certain archmages, priests of the deities Alephenel, Cymede, Lhasa and Akomicles, along with both local and High Officials alike.

Visitors are allowed to stay within the keep for a tenday, until they are asked to leave. They are asked to wait a full month before returning for another stay.

Inhabitants
The mages of Crow's Perch referred to themselves as the Sanguis Magus, wizards sworn to protect the Empire and the contents of Crow's Perch. Many magic users come here to become Sanguis Magus, a lofted title that is highly revered in the Empire. Most become attached to legions or become advisors to governors or high officials.

The Gatewarden oversees the defense of Crow's Perch, assisted by four Watchers and the Keeper. While all of the martial officers are served by a legion, only the latter stood outside the keep's walls.

The Chanter and the three Voices are often to be found in procession throughout the library, reciting the lines of the Endless Chant. The prophecies of The Endless Night continually echoed through the grounds of Crow's Perch.